It was a chance for Aiken county deputies to teach parents how to protect their kids from online predators.

It's a topic investigators say becomes more important every day.

"You never know who's lurking behind a closed door or a bush, especially behind a screen," said Carla Ward. She says she wants to learn more about protecting her niece from online predators.

"The eight year old is quite the computer person and I want to protect her from predators," she said.

Aiken County Investigator Mark Patterson told parents about his work for the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children task force. He posed online as a young girl, and says the threats he comes across are very serious.

"I've come across child pornography, sexual predators, prostitution, drugs, anything you can do on the street you can do on the internet and more," he said.

Patterson says the real problem is when those net crimes spill out onto the street.

"You have sexual exploitation, kidnapping, all the way to homicide," he said.

But Patterson says there are some easy steps parents can take.

He says they should monitor a child's time online, keep the computer out of the bedroom and use parental controls.

Ward says she knows those steps are worth it.

"I've been scammed myself, so I want to protect my babies," she said.

Investigator Patterson says it doesn't take long to find a predator online, and says those predators will go to great lengths to earn a child's trust.

He's had several send him gifts, thinking he's a child.